Chili Pappardelle Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
As much olive oil as you need for cooking.
02 -
1 pound of raw, mild Italian pork sausage.
03 -
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
04 -
1 small onion, chopped into small pieces.
05 -
2 small fennel bulbs, cut into small cubes.
06 -
1 pound of egg-based pappardelle pasta.
07 -
6 garlic cloves, finely minced.
08 -
1/4 cup tomato paste.
09 -
2 tablespoons Calabrian chili peppers.
10 -
1/2 cup of white wine.
11 -
One 24-ounce jar of pureed tomatoes.
12 -
1 cup of heavy whipping cream.
13 -
1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, chopped.
14 -
Half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, with more for serving.
15 -
As much freshly ground black pepper as you like for finishing.
# Instructions:
01 -
Fill a big pot with water, add a lot of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil.
02 -
Grab a 3-quart stainless steel sauté pan and put it over medium-high heat. Pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom once it’s hot. Drop in the sausage and use a wooden spoon to break it apart into chunks. Sprinkle a little salt on, then let it cook until browned for around 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move it to a plate and set aside.
03 -
Lower the heat to medium. Toss the butter into the pan, letting it melt. Add the onion and fennel, stirring often while they soften and caramelize over about 8 minutes. Don’t forget to sprinkle on a generous pinch of salt.
04 -
Put the pappardelle into the salted boiling water. Stir it a couple of times to separate the strands, and cook according to the ‘al dente’ timing on the package.
05 -
Add the minced garlic to the softened veggies and cook for about half a minute. Stir in the tomato paste and Calabrian chili paste, cooking for another minute. Pour in the white wine and give it 2 minutes to cook down.
06 -
Into the pan, pour tomato purée, cream, oregano, and the browned sausage. Grab 1 cup of the pasta cooking water (with a tad more, just in case) and mix it in. Combine everything well, let the sauce bubble a bit, then turn it to medium-low and cook it down for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and then.
07 -
Drain the cooked pappardelle and toss it back into the pot. Pour the sauce over the pasta, stirring to coat it nicely. Sprinkle in the grated parmesan bit by bit, mixing until the cheese melts into the sauce and sticks to the noodles.
08 -
Taste and tweak the salt if needed. Serve individual portions hot, topped with extra parmesan and cracks of black pepper.
# Notes:
01 -
If the sauce ends up too thick, thin it with more pasta water. If it’s too runny, let it simmer longer.